The demise of Chris McAlister and Ed Reed is greatly exaggerated.
The veteran Pro Bowl defensive backs entered the season as major question marks for the Baltimore Ravens’ vaunted defense.
McAlister, a cornerback, missed eight games last season with a knee injury and Reed, a safety, contemplated his long-term future with the team after he missed the preseason with a nerve impingement in his neck and shoulder.
McAlister and Reed, however, are major reasons the Ravens are undefeated. They each made a key interception in the third quarter, which helped the Ravens rally for a 28-10 victory over the Browns in front of a crowd of 71,104 at M&T Bank Stadium. After the Ravens converted Reed and McAlister’s interceptions of Browns quarterback Derek Anderson into 14 points, cornerback Samari Rolle secured the victory with the defense’s final interception of the day.
The Ravens are 2-0 for the third time in team history, as they prepare for a crucial AFC North showdown at Pittsburgh (2-1) on Sept. 29 at 8:30 p.m. on ESPN. The Ravens’ two division wins double their total of last year, when they went 1-5.
“We take every challenge,” McAlister said. “We don’t take any challenge lightly. Week after week, we try and go out and play like we did in the second half today. We figure they’ll break if we keep breaking them.”
The Browns (0-3) led 10-7 at halftime, but turned the ball over in each of the their first two possessions of the third quarter.
First, McAlister intercepted a pass after linebacker Ray Lewis leveled tight end Kellen Winslow, which caused the ball to fly in out of his hands. Four plays later, the Ravens took a 14-10 lead they would not relinquish when fullback Le’Ron McClain scored on a one-yard run with 11 minutes, 20 seconds left in the quarter.
Reed extended the lead to 21-10 when he returned his interception — the 35th of his career — 32 yards for a touchdown.
Anderson finished the game 14-of-37 for 125 yards, with a touchdown and three interceptions. The Ravens held Jamal Lewis to 56 yards on 12 carries, as they extended their streak of not allowing a 100-yard rusher to 21 games.
“We didn’t make a couple of plays early on,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “We wanted to start hot, and we didn’t start hot. But what was impressive was the way our guys fought back out of that hole in the second half and pretty much dominated the game.”
The Ravens’ defensive helped overcome an inconsistent effort by rookie quarterback Joe Flacco, who completed 13-of-19 passes for 129 yards and two interceptions. The Ravens continued to show they are committed to running the ball, finishing with 151 yards on 44 carries.
Starting running back Willis McGahee played for the first time this season and finished with 64 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries. McClain led the Ravens with 66 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries. At one point the Ravens ran the ball 13 times in 14 plays during the fourth quarter when, they possessed the ball for more than nine minutes.
“We got some pretty good field position at times, and we capitalized on it in the second half,” Flacco said. “It’s always good to go down there and have that running game to punch it into the end zone.”
The win almost got overshadowed by a scary moment late in the first half when Ravens safety Dawan Landry was carted off the field after taking a knee to the head when he tackled Jamal Lewis.
The game was delayed eight minutes while emergency medical personnel tended to Landry. A team spokesman said Landry never lost consciousness and could move all of his extremities. Landry was taken to the University of Maryland Medical Center, where he was expected to remain overnight.
“We’re thankful for Dawan’s situation,” Harbaugh said. “He looks good.”
Star of the Game
Fullback Le’Ron McClain continued to shine in his increased roll in offensive coordinator Cam Cameron’s system. He scored the first two touchdowns of his career and finished with a team-high 66 yards on 17 carries.
Decisive moment
Linebacker Ray Lewis reminded Browns tight end Kellen Winlsow why he is a nine-time Pro Bowler after leveling him with a hit early in the third quarter. Winslow lost possession of the ball, allowing cornerback Chris McAlister to intercept the pass. McClain gave the Ravens a 14-10 lead four plays later on a one-yard touchdown run.
Best coaching decision
John Harbaugh did not get too fancy after two first-half turnovers. He decided to pay to the team’s strengths and let the running game and defense pave the way to victory.
Worst decision
The Ravens tried to answer the Browns’ first touchdown with a variation of a flea-flicker in the second quarter. The play, however, developed too slowly and quarterback Joe Flacco underthrew Derrick Mason in the end zone, which allowed Browns safety Mike Adams to intercept the pass.
Up Next
Ravens (2-0) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (2-1)
• When: Sept. 29, 8:30 p.m.
• Where: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pa.
• TV/Radio: ESPN/1090 AM, 97.9 FM
